The Baldari (Book 3) (65 page)

Ashli knelt and clipped the metal band in place over Tryll’s temples, barely finding room because of the blocking band that was already in place.  Then she sat on the floor and began the session.  Ashli appeared to be asleep, and Tryll spasmed several times, but otherwise all was quiet.  Then with a shriek, she jerked straight and began to shake.  Ashli let go of the end of the metal clip and sat back.

“She’s dying,” she said quickly.  “I don’t know if you can stop it.”

“Did you get anything?” Rigo asked, uncertain if this might be a further trick by Tryll, and not yet willing to risk removing the band.

“Some, but not nearly everything on the list.  I haven’t discovered how to release your consort.”

That decided Rigo.  “Daria,” he said.  “One of your knives.  Keep it to her throat.  If she shows any sight of being fully awake or taking action, finish her.”

Rigo reached toward the band.

“Rigo, I don’t think it’s a good idea,” Nycoh warned.

“She’s Mitty’s only chance,” Rigo said.  After seeing how strong this one was, Rigo had little doubt that attempting to capture one of the others alive was going to be impossible.  If nothing else, the fact one of their kind had been taken would put them on alert.

He reached for the band, but found he couldn’t get his fingers under it to find a purchase.  He turned her head and tried to dislodge the connection, but it was magically fused and acted as a single continuous piece.

“Kaler,” Rigo shouted.  “Can you cut it off?”

Kaler stepped forward, pulling his belt knife.  As he knelt to attempt what Rigo had asked, Tryll gave a sudden violent shudder, and then with a rattle in her throat, lay suddenly still.  They had all seen enough death to realize she had passed.  As if to provide proof of the fact, the band suddenly lost all color, and dropped away from her head, falling to the floor.

Ashli checked her quickly.  “She’s gone,” she said.  “She’s not faking this.”

Rigo swore.  He stood and looked at the body on the floor.  So close, and they failed to get what he had come for.

“Rigo, look,” Lyes said.

Rigo looked where Lyes was pointing and noticed that the band that had been around Brock’s head had fallen away as well.  Brock appeared to be breathing however.  Ashli scurried over to check.

“He’s okay,” she said after a moment.  “He’s unconscious, but that’s from Kaler’s blow.  I think he’ll be okay, but we’ll have to see once he comes to.”

Rigo walked over to where Nycoh and Daria stood.  He surveyed the scene.

“How do you think the other Brryn will see this.  Is there any chance they will believe normal wizards did this to her?”

“Not the way she is now,” Daria said.  “She has no obvious wounds on her.  What would she have died from?  You will need to burn her with your
Brightfire
to make it appear she fell to magic.”

“What about her shields?” Lyes asked as he walked over to join the discussion.  “It’s unlikely they will believe she failed to have any of her shields in place.  Either a personal shield or a facility barrier would have defeated
Brightfire
.”

“She was strange about her shields,” Nycoh said.  “Perhaps they would accept she had only a normal facility barrier, after all that is what was in place when we came in, and was without a personal shield inside.”

“Even then they would expect her to have detected any
Bypass
that allowed us inside,” Rigo said.  “We would like to keep them from realizing this was done with advanced magic.”

“That would mean a standard shield on the building, nothing inside, and we got in and surprised her before she could raise her own protective barrier,” Daria said.  “I don’t think they will believe that.  They aren’t stupid, and you saw how quickly she switched to the Brryn version of a shield.”

“Perhaps, the killer was already inside,” Kaler suggested.  “Perhaps she had the full protective barrier around the building, but no personal shield inside.”  He looked over at Brock, still unconscious on the floor.  “We suspect she was using Brock for more than simple servant duties.  Perhaps she was ‘enjoying’ him, and something happened that allowed him to break free of the band, and he lashed out before she realized the danger.”

“I have a feeling the bands don’t come off without the Controller being fully aware,” protested Lyes.

“What other choice have we got?” Nycoh asked.

“The final option is that someone came through the full barrier using the
Transfer
,” Daria said  “That would have alerted Tryll someone had arrived, but she would have assumed it was either Kytra or Hyndl.  She wouldn’t have been concerned, and therefore might not have raised her personal shield, feeling secure since they are the only three with such capabilities.  That would have left her open to attack.”

“If they think along those lines, they will believe some of us have acquired some of their magic, which is what we hoped to prevent,” Rigo said.

“I don’t think you have much choice,” Daria concluded.  “Drag her to the bedroom, blast her so they can’t check to see what was done to her, and hope they are confused by what they see.  It’s necessary to do something to her body anyway, because you won’t want them to see the burns around her temples the interaction of the band and her shield created.  They might know what that is.  I believe the odds are small, but they may be misled because they will know only a Brryn can acquire such abilities, and they must believe they are the only surviving Brryn. 

There were no ideal choices, and in the end, Daria and Kaler dragged Tryll’s body into the bedroom where they dumped her on the bed.  Rigo triggered a blast of
Brightfire
, that severely burned the corpse, taking away much of the side of her head where the revealing marks had been.

When she died, the barriers around the structure failed, and Brock would have been free to escape.

Rigo doubted it would fool anyone, but there was no more they could do.  It was time to leave.  Kaler picked up Brock, and Rigo
Transferred
all of them back to the assembly point in Sulen.  While there, the group discussed what had been learned, then broke up until the next day.  Ashli promised to see to Brock, and Rigo headed alone back to the hideaway in the Ruins, where he would have to confess to a captive Mitty that he had failed.

They met again the next morning.  Ashli explained that Brock was going to be okay.  He was disoriented from the experience, having only partial memories of what had taken place since he had been surprised and captured two weeks earlier.  Ashli also summarized the results of her abruptly terminated
Reading
.  She had gained some useful information.

“The Brryn are limited in their ability to use their mental links for communication,” Ashli said.  “Like the Baldari, the normal range is limited.  The Brryn and Baldari are roughly equivalent in range.  It was that amplifier device that gave them the incredible range and the ability to control Baldari in large numbers and at any location.  Now, they can’t communicate with each other, nor with the Baldari unless they are reasonably close together.  That is good news on a couple of fronts.  Tryll wouldn’t have been able to alert her companions last night, and the Baldari who we still have been keeping in the Ruins for their protection should be free to return home.  Kytra won’t be able to sense them or control them.”

Nycoh smiled.  “S’erom will be pleased to learn that.  He has been pressuring me to allow his people to return to the jungle.  He was willing to stay shielded himself, since Kytra probably was more sensitized to him, but thought the others might be safe.”

“The headband, which saved you last night, is exactly what you suspected.  It is designed to block anyone’s access to magic, be they Brryn or not.  Like the bands we have used before, they are self activating, although somehow linked to whoever applies them, which is why Brock’s band came off when Tryll died.  Oh and she was telling the truth about not applying the band when a personal shield is in place.  The two magics are not compatible.  That’s what eventually killed her.”

“Did you learn any more about their shields?” Nycoh asked.

Ashli nodded.  “As you discovered, their personal shields are far superior to our own, and can resist even their own magic for an extended period of time.  That’s especially true when a single opponent is involved.  It usually takes a couple of simultaneous attackers to break through.  The protective barriers that can be erected around a structure are even stronger, and the usual form of overcoming them is the cloud magic.”

Ashli smiled.  “You already know that a normal
Bypass
can’t pass into a protected structure, and that this
Transfer
you have learned will allow you to do so, but not without alerting anyone inside.  The Brryn can make even stronger shields by augmenting them with physical devices.”

“The amplifier,” Rigo said.

Ashli nodded.  “With the amplifier they can create a shield that even the
Transfer
cannot penetrate, at least without some special conditions.  I sensed they can create authorizations, much like we have done in the past, to allow certain individuals to be exempt from the blockage.  The augmented shields are also extremely difficult to breech, even with the cloud magic, which apparently overcomes virtually every other form of shield.”

“The chamber in the valley was augmented by one of the amplifiers,” Nycoh said, “but it was overcome by the magic the rod produced.”

“Two likelihoods,” Ashli said.  “The amplifier had been shut down, and so the strengthening of the shield was dying out and couldn’t be sustained in the presence of the rod’s attack.  Also, I sensed, but was unable to discover before Tryll died on us, that there are some exotic magics that can be formulated that are extremely potent.  They are not something an individual can simply call upon.  Not even the Brryn.  That’s all I know about them.”

“Did you learn anything about Kytra or Hyndl?” Rigo asked.

“Very little,” Ashli confessed.  “The session ended too quickly.  Hyndl is a nasty one.  At least Tryll believed so.  If that is the case, and he is worse than Kytra who we have a bit of background on, we have plenty to worry about.”

“You didn’t learn where he is hiding?”

“I don’t think even Tryll knew that.  I also don’t think she cared.  The Reading did confirm that Kytra is staying on the island that Suline found, and even better she had been inside the underground part of the compound.  I was able to retrieve a memory of the place.  I believe it is good enough to use to create a
Bypass
.  I don’t know if it can be used with your
Transfer
.”

Rigo smiled for the first time since the attack the previous night.  Some good news.  He didn’t know yet how they would use it, but perhaps their next target would be Kytra.

The Brryn reaction to the killing of Tryll came swiftly.  Kytra and Hyndl found her body in the mansion the following morning when they came looking for her when she failed to return to Kytra’s island as usual.  Neither had an idea what to expect, but both were shocked to discover she had been killed.  Disturbed, and prepared for an attack, they had carefully searched the grounds for anything that would reveal what might have taken place.  When they left more than a glass later, they were of different minds what had happened.

Hyndl was convinced the rebel wizards were behind the killing.  He wasn’t certain how they had managed it, but was positive they had discovered some means that allowed them to defeat the protective shields and get inside the mansion without being detected.  He refused to believe that Tryll would have been so careless as to leave herself defenseless, especially against the magic she knew the wizards they had been systematically eliminating possessed.  The burns on her body had looked like nothing more than
Brightfire
, which anyone with the gift could manage.  That only said that she had been caught without her personal protection.  It didn’t explain how those responsible had managed to get inside.  Any use of the
Bypass
the wizards were restricted to should have instantly alerted her.  He was left with the conclusion they must have discovered how to
Transfer
.  That he considered worrisome.  If they had learned that, and were able to perform the advanced magic, what else might they have discovered?  Also, how many of them were there with the more fearsome powers?

Kytra felt very differently.  She was convinced that Hyndl was over reacting.  She had observed and studied the wizards and Casters of these lands for a very long time.  She had held many captive for months, and had probed their minds.  None had had any awareness of the Brryn magic.  None had sufficient Brryn blood to advance to a level that would allow them such powers.  Most only knew one or the other discipline.  Very few had realized the sum of the two branches of magic was far greater than the individual parts.

Still, there was much that was difficult to explain.  As careless as Tryll could be, she was self-centered and aware enough not to leave herself exposed to magic she knew the wizards had mastered.  She was also skilled and quite quick with her own powers.  That suggested something was at work she didn’t understand.  She felt a chill when she thought that Nyk might be behind this.  It would explain a great deal.  He could have easily bypassed any protective measures that Tryll had established, and while she might have been shocked to see him, it is unlikely she would have been frightened by his unexpected appearance.  He could easily have killed her, and made it appear that someone of lesser skills had done so. 

That raised many questions of why he would do such a thing.  Of course, he had trapped them in the chamber, something she was certain of but which Hyndl had argued against.  Perhaps now that they were free, Nyk planned to eliminate them before they realized he was hunting them.  But where had he been all this time?  Too much had taken place that Kytra was certain he would have responded to had he been lurking somewhere in the background.  That hadn’t happened, which lead her to reject her momentary fears.

That left a void.  If it wasn’t the wizards, and it wasn’t Nyk, who was left?  Had one of their group escaped the chamber before it had been destroyed?  That was impossible.  The other two had still been under the sleep influence of the chamber.  Even Hyndl and Tryll had been unable to save themselves, and they had been waking for several weeks before the wizards had plundered the valley.  There was only one person left with the power to do what she believed necessary.  Hyndl!  It wasn’t beyond belief that Hyndl was making a move to become the sole ruler of this land.  Brryn had been plotters in the past, and while he and Kytra had been close, perhaps he saw an opportunity.  Kytra had been somewhat at odds with him since they had escaped the chamber.  They had seen the way forward differently.  Now that most of the rebels had been eliminated, he might have decided he didn’t really need her help any more.  She would have to be careful around him and watch to see if he made any slips that indicated he might know more than he was revealing.

Once they were back at the island, one place Kytra was certain the rebels would have no knowledge of, nor any ability to reach, she could focus entirely on what Hyndl was saying.  He reminded her of the matter of the disruptive
Bypass
the three of them had detected the previous week, and how they had chased but lost the rebel wizards responsible.  That
Bypass
had displayed signs of disruptive magic, one of the exotic forms that Nyk and others had used against the rebel wizards just before the great fall.  How had these wizards acquired it, and how did they manage to control it?  There was something about them they had failed to understand.  Clearly they were more dangerous than had been believed.

Kytra couldn’t explain away the strange incident, but she wasn’t yet ready to accept the wizards she had studied for so long had managed to hide such powers from her.  It simply wasn’t possible.  She was also uncomfortable when Hyndl suggested he move in and stay with her on the island.  He would be inside her primary defenses.  Fortunately, he didn’t push the issue.

The reaction of the two Brryn was forceful.  They returned to Nulwar and leveled the port city, killing most of the inhabitants in the process.  They made it clear this was a warning to any who might think to interfere with or act against either of them in the future.  Then they posted a large reward for everyone on the top of the most sought after wizards.  They couldn’t know that any of them were involved in what had happened to Tryll, but even if not, they were people they needed to eliminate in any event, and for now it would serve their needs to blame them.

Rigo was appalled at what had happened.  There was no doubt in his mind that he was more than a little responsible for the deaths of those who had died in the Brryn attack on Nulwar.  He had hoped to go after the Brryn one at a time, but now he realized that such an approach would result in more reprisals.  Somehow they would need to find a way to take down both Kytra and Hyndl, at the same time no less.  Taking on either one was going to be a problem.  Rigo was certain that they were stronger than Tryll had been, and she had nearly bested them.  How in Risos’ name would they handle both at once?  Another bad thing in all this.  They couldn’t afford to take any risks.  That meant they needed to develop a plan that would see the Brryn killed.  The chances of capturing one for questioning were impossibly slim.  That meant any chance of learning how to free Mitty was fast disappearing.  Rigo didn’t want to admit it, but he didn’t think he was going to discover the secret.

The Brryn, on the other hand, couldn’t know how many of them might have the power.  They hadn’t singled out Rigo and Nycoh with their bounties.  They were after everyone on their list.  That suggested they worried that there might be a number who had learned some of the Brryn magic.  Maybe they knew about the Void, and the discovery of their corrupted portal had provided them with a clue what had happened.  Whatever they thought, it would have to make them a little more cautious.

Rigo was suddenly glad they had left Tryll where she could be found by her friends.  They had discussed taking her and burying her in the Ruins.  If they had done that, the Brryn might have wondered if she might be alive, and what she might be revealing.  This way they thought their secrets were safe.  They didn’t know how much the few items Ashli had recovered with the
Reading
had actually revealed.  Most importantly they didn’t realize that the wizards knew about Kytra’s island.  Now that they had a memory inside the underground area, the team had been withdrawn.  Suline was convinced she could monitor both the upper area and inside the secret quarters via the
Ghost Doorway
, and it was safe from detection.  They would run some tests against an area shielded with the Brryn shields, but Rigo was certain she was right.  The
Ghost Doorway
had already proven itself an anomaly the Brryn couldn’t have anticipated.

The next morning they had their proof.  Suline opened a portal that allowed them to have a look into the underground chamber.  It was surprisingly sparse, but Rigo believed that the passing years had taken their toll on the inside just as they had above, and Kytra had yet to repair the damage time had wrought.  Daria was hoping that she might get a chance to repeat what she had done to Shym through the
Doorway
, but Rigo was certain that Kytra would remain shielded, and didn’t want to reveal the secret of their spying by taking a chance.  Both Rigo and Suline thought they could sense the faint fuzziness of a protective barrier.  It was difficult to tell through the monitoring portal.

Nycoh had gone to bring the good news to S’erom.  The Baldari would be going home.  They would find their villages in rough shape after being left untended for so long, but the fact they were back in their jungle where they belonged would make up for that.  Odd as it seemed, the people of the north now had a friend in the Baldari.  Communication was a significant problem, but a few of the Baldari, especially the younger ones, had learned some of the speech used in the kingdoms.  It would be something to pursue once this was over.  S’erom indicated that he and a number of his warriors wanted to be part of dealing with the Brryn.  Nycoh promised she would keep him in mind, but at the moment she couldn’t see a role for them.  The Brryn were too powerful, and they didn’t even know where Hyndl was hiding.

It was somewhat ironic that they were searching everywhere for Hyndl, and he and Kytra were searching for them.  It was impossible to tell from watching Kytra’s sanctuary what she and Hyndl were up to.  Hyndl made frequent appearances, but was not staying there. Their communication had to be via their mental link, because while they were together, no words, in any language passed between them.

Neither the Wanderer’s nor Rosul’s spy network had unearthed any sign of Hyndl or where he might be staying.  He and Kytra, usually together, but not always, made appearances throughout the kingdoms as they followed up informants suggestions where those they sought might be hiding.  Several were located, and executed on the spot.  The two surviving Brryn were taking no chances.  They had to be concerned that as yet they had encountered no one with the advanced magic.

One day Jeen informed Rigo that Queen Mos’pera wished to see him.  Uncertain and a little uncomfortable, not having seen the Queen of Branid since some time before the fateful journey that had cost Ash’urn his life, Rigo went along.

“I am sorry about Mitty,” Queen Mos’pera said when they were seated in a small room in the mountain residence where she and King Rhory were in hiding.  “Jeen told me that you were unable to learn how to free her when you questioned the Brryn woman.”

“There are two more of them.  One will reveal to me how to release her.”  Rigo didn’t know if Mitty was alive or not.  Ashli had taken another look, and admitted she couldn’t tell either, and that her earlier belief the cylinder was killing her was probably wrong.  She sensed the same unusual readings when she tried to tell what Mitty’s health was.  Whatever magic was at work, it made her efforts no more than guesses.

Queen Mos’pera shook her head.  “I don’t see how that can happen.  From what Mitty has told me, you will be fortunate to be able to best these two tyrants.  There may not be an opportunity to ask the questions you hope to put before them.  Have you reconciled that to yourself?”

This was something that Rigo feared, but had sworn to himself he wouldn’t allow to happen.  He would find a way to learn the secret before the Brryn were both killed.  He told the Queen as much.

She frowned, but then changed the subject.  “I have asked you here today because I have had a vision.  I thought it best to share it with you.  I have heard that you have not always felt I have been entirely up front with what I sense of the future.  While I am not sure it is wise, I have decided this time I will hold nothing back.”

Rigo shot a quick look at Jeen.  She returned his glance guiltily.  Well, there was little doubt where the Queen had learned of his displeasure.

“Seers have their reasons,” Rigo said softly.  “Mitty kept as much from me as you have.  I cannot say I like it, but I have come to understand once again that there might be reasons.”

A wry smile crossed Queen Mos’pera’s lips.  “That is reassuring, but this time I want you to know that you will learn everything I have sensed.”

Rigo nodded, but said nothing, waiting for the Queen to reveal what the future held.

“You have been seeking the one called Hyndl so you can plan a simultaneous attack on both of them.  Jeen has indicated that Nycoh has suggested an attack inside the fortress Kytra has on her island.  You know the layout and can count on them both being present frequently there.  I warn you that would be very unwise.  Any attempt made on the island is doomed to failure.” 

She looked at Rigo intently.  “Any attempt to deal with both of them when they are together, will fail.  You might attack them simultaneously, but they must be at separate locations and unable to assist one another.”

Rigo wasn’t surprised.  He had already decided that the Brryn were too formidable to approach alone.  If they were able to aid one another in a conflict, their powers were so much greater than he and Nycoh could manage the battle would be far too one sided.  He had been unable to see how they could each take on one of the two enemies and hope to win.  An impasse, that he hadn’t found an answer too.